If you'd like to know a secret way of writing copy to customers who are skeptical and even outright hostile to the average "sales letter" or ad..then listen to this.
One of the most effective ways to approach writing an ad is with the assumption the person reading it will -- right out the gate -- be shaking his head and saying to himself, "what a bunch of bull!" to everything you say.
In other words, with every claim you make and every benefit you throw out there, just assume the person reading it doesn't believe a word you're saying.
He wants to believe you (if you've targeted your market right). But chances are he doesn't believe you.
And yet, there is a special way of selling to skeptics like this (besides just throwing in testimonials and documentation "helter-skelter") that prevents them from ever thinking your claims are less than genuine.
What is this special way?
This: Simply think of your ad as a sandwich.
Your "meat" is the claims. And the two pieces of bread are both some form of proof or credibility element (such as your background, lab tests, testimonials, endorsement from a respected person, etc).
And in order to make your ad "skeptic proof", every time you make a claim, simply put a credibility element -- even if it's just a few words -- that backs up that claim both before and after the claim.
That way it's kind of like a "double whammy" -- where you won't give the reader any room to question or doubt you, no matter how fantastic the claim is.
Bottom line: This simple little technique will make your ads a lot more likely to be taken seriously and acted on. Especially if you sell to a skeptical market place that's hostile to the average sales letter "hype" and language.
Ben Settle is an expert copywriter and direct marketer. If you liked this article then check out Ben's website at http://bensettle.com -- and get your hands on over 500 pages of advertising ideas, strategies and tactics just like this one -- as well as rare swipe file ads and hot marketing information not easily found anywhere else.